Vijayawada: The fruit vendors and hawkers, at Raitu Bazar Bazar, near PWD grounds have no Sankranti this year. Following the closure of Rythu Bazar gates these hawkers and vendors have experienced huge losses and a majority of them have a minimum of '50,000 as debts. As muhc as 40 per cent of the fruits are being dumped into dustbins every day, due to lack of sales. In November, hawkers and vendors were asked to shift from the Rythu Bazar entrance, following the Karteeka Masam rush. Later, the main entrance to Rythu Bazaar was closed, said A. Ramesh, and S. Appa Rao, fruit vendors, at the Rythu Bazaar. Around 200 families depend on these fruits for their livelihood.
“The closure of Ruthu Bazaar is resulting in the damage of 40 per cent of the fruits we are purchasing,” said Krishna Rao, another hawker, who has been in this business for 18 years. Despite repeated appeals to the traffic police and district administration, they didn’t find any solution. Finally, they approached TD youth leader Devineni Avinash two days ago and he has represented the issue to DCP Mr Kranthi Rana Tata. Explaining their grievances, another hawker M. Sreenivas said that debts have been piling up over the last two months and is now haunting them.
Following the closure of the Rythu Bazar gates, the vendors have been facing several problems, as consumers have stopped coming to them. “The entrance from Rythu Bazar was opened from PWD grounds side, and all consumers have started parking their vehicles there only,”said A. Ramesh and added that, the closure of both the main entrance gates has been preventing the consumers to visit the fruit vendors and Hawkers, on this side.
